In providing electrical circuits to a facility, such as a home, one or more branch circuits are wired to distribute electrical power to load devices, such as outlet receptacles or light fixtures. Typically, the receptacle or fixture is hardwired directly to the branch circuit, with power to the device being turned on or off at the device itself. For example, a light fixture might include a pull cord for actuating a switch, while a small appliance might include a power switch.
With recent technological developments it is both possible and advantageous to provide automated control of load devices to provide, for example, remote or timed switching. One such system directs all communication functions into a system controller. This gives a home owner flexible communication and power control from anywhere in the home there is a control panel or switch, or even anywhere there is a telephone, such as the car or office. An intelligent outlet receptacle allows individual appliances to be separately and automatically controlled as necessary or desired. To do so, some means must be provided for controlling switching of power to an electrical outlet receptacle. A practical switching device must be inexpensive and reliable. A latching relay has been found to be readily adaptable to such an application. A latching relay is latched when connected to a positive polarity voltage source and unlatched when connected to a negative polarity voltage source.
One known intelligent outlet receptacle connects electrical power to the outlet receptacle only when in use. Particularly, the outlet receptacle is disconnected from the power source when no plug is present and is connected to the power source when a plug is present in the receptacle. A sensing device senses presence or absence of a plug in the receptacle. A control circuit connected to the sensor and the latching relay controls latching and unlatching of the relay in response to a signal developed by the plug presence sensor.
The automatic switched power receptacle of the known form discussed above includes a microcontroller which communicates with various remote devices, including a "master" controller. The master controller has supervisory authority over any and all control components connected thereto. In such a system, loss of communications between the switched power receptacle and the master controller results in unlatching of the relay to disconnect power from the receptacle. In order to reestablish power to the receptacle, a user must remove and then reinsert the plug in the receptacle.
The present invention is intended to solve one or more of the problems discussed above.